Motza’ei Shabbos: Candle lighting is delayed until Shabbos has concluded. It is wise for women who light the candles and have not recited havdala in the Maariv tefilla to recite Boruch Hamavdil bein Kodesh l’kodesh, before they light the candles or do any other necessary labor for Yom Tov. We then bless Le’hadlik ner shelYom Tov and Shehecheyanu. Some wait as long as 72minutes after shekiah to light the candles, while others light at the earliest 45 minutes after shekiah (N.Y.C. 8:14 p.m. E.D.T.) At that same time we are allowed to begin cooking preparations for the Seuda of Yom TovSheni.

We delay Maariv as well in order to begin [the counting of] Sefiras HaOmer. Otherwise Maariv is the usual Festival text, in the Shemoneh Esreh we add Vatodieinu (Nusach Sefarad and even certain Ashkenaz congregations add whole Hallel at the conclusion of the Shemoneh Esreh). We count the Sefira, preceded by the blessing Al Sefiras HaOmer). At home we repeat the Seder procedure of the previous night (obviously, we do not include any references to Shabbos) we include havdala (yaknehaz – yayyin, kiddush, ner, havdalah, zman) in Kiddush.

Sunday morning: Shacharis of Festivals (Shalosh Regalim). Some say the Yotzros as found in the Machzor. We remove two Sifrei Torah from the Ark, as we recite , the 13 Middos and Ribono Shel Olam the 13 In the first we read in Parashas Emor (Vayikra 22:26-23:44), from “Shor o’ kesev” until “Mo’adei Hashem el Bnei Yisrael” and call five Aliyos. We place both Torah scrolls on the Bima and the Reader recites half-Kaddish. We then call the Maftir to read in the second Sefer in Parashas Pinchas (Bamidbar 28:16-25), from “U’Vachodesh Harishon”until Kol meleches avoda lo sa’asu.” We recite the Haftara (II Kings 23:1-9, 21-25) from “Vayishlach Hamelech” until “Va’yetzav Hamelech”(we delete 12 verses) and conclude with “Lo kam kamohu.” We conclude with Musaf of Festivals in which the Kohanim duchan.

Mincha is the usual Festival prayer.

Maariv: Yom Tov concludes at 8:15 p.m. E.D.T. NYC; usual weekday Tefilla with inclusion of AtaChonantanu, Ya’aleh VeYavo. This is our first weekday Shemoneh Esreh and we now substitute Ve’ten Beracha for Ve’ten Tal Umatar in Mevarech Hashanim. This is followed byKaddish Tiskabbel, Aleinu and Kaddish Yasom, and we count SefirasHaomer. Havdala at home as usual.

Monday morning, first day of Chol HaMo’ed, Shacharis – some don tefillin and others do not, each according to his custom – but without a beracha – and yet others recite the blessing in a whisper (see Rema, Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim 31:2; also Mishna Beruraad loc. s.v. She’ein Mevarchim, for advisable procedure.) In Pesukei De’zimra we omit Mizmor Le’Toda. Usual weekday Shemoneh Esreh with Ya’aleh VeYavo and again in chazzan’s repetition we say Ya’aleh Veyavo. We then say half-Hallel followed by the chazzan reciting Kaddish Tiskabbel. We remove two Torah scrolls from the Ark. In the first we call up three Aliyos and read in Parashas Bo (Shemos 13:1-16) from “Kaddesh li kolbechor” until “Hotzianu Hashemmimitzrayim.” For the fourth aliyah we read from the second scrollin Parashas Pinchas (Bamidbar 28:19-25) from “Ve’hikravtem” until “Kol meleches avoda losa’asu.” We put down both Torah scrolls and the Ba’al Keriah says half-Kaddish. We return the scrolls to the Ark. We then say Ashrei, Uva LeTziyyon, half-Kaddish.

Maariv is usual weekday Tefilla with inclusion of Ya’alehVeYavo in the Shemoneh Esreh, concluding with Kaddish Tiskabbel, Aleinu and Kaddish Yasom and counting of the Omer.

Tuesday morning: 2nd day Chol HaMo’ed. The prayers as yesterday, with the exception of the Torah reading: we call up three aliyos in Parashas Mishpatim (Shemos 22:24-23:19) from “Imkeseftalveh until Lo sevashel ge’di ba’chalev immo.” Maftir and all other tefillos: Musaf, Mincha and Maariv as yesterday and counting the Omer.

Wednesday morning: 3rd day Chol HaMo’ed. The prayers as yesterday with the exception of the Torah reading: we call up three aliyos in in Parashas Ki Sisa (Shemos 34:1-26) Maftir and all other tefillos: Musaf, Mincha and Maariv as yesterday and counting the Omer.

Thursday morning: 4th day Chol HaMo’ed. The prayers as yesterday with the exception of the Torah reading: we call up three aliyos in in Parashas Ba’halo’secha (Bamidbar 9:1-14) Maftir and Musaftefillah as yesterday. As today is Erev Yom Tov and the last days of Yom Tov are Friday and Shabbos, we make all the necessary preparations, including an Eruv Tavshillin in order to allow cooking on Friday for Shabbos. Mincha is usual weekday Tefillah with inclusion of Ya’aleh ve’Yavo. Candle lighting (l’hadlik ner shel Yom Tov) 7:15 E.D.T. NYC.

About the Author:Rabbi Yaakov Klass, rav of Congregation K’hal Bnei Matisyahu in Flatbush, Brooklyn, is Torah Editor of The Jewish Press. He can be contacted at yklass@jewishpress.com.

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Question: If Abraham was commanded to circumcise his descendants on the eighth day, why do Arabs – who claim to descend from Abraham through Yishmael – wait until their children are 13 to circumcise them? I am aware that this is a matter of little consequence to our people. Nevertheless, this inconsistency is one that piques my curiosity.

Question: If Abraham was commanded to circumcise his descendants on the eighth day, why do Arabs – who claim to descend from Abraham through Yishmael – wait until their children are 13 to circumcise them? I am aware that this is a matter of little consequence to our people. Nevertheless, this inconsistency is one that piques my curiosity.

Question: If Abraham was commanded to circumcise his descendants on the eighth day, why do Arabs – who claim to descend from Abraham through Yishmael – wait until their children are 13 to circumcise them? I am aware that this is a matter of little consequence to our people. Nevertheless, this inconsistency is one that piques my curiosity.

Question: If Abraham was commanded to circumcise his descendants on the eighth day, why do Arabs – who claim to descend from Abraham through Yishmael – wait until their children are 13 to circumcise them? I am aware that this is a matter of little consequence to our people. Nevertheless, this inconsistency is one that piques my curiosity.

Question: If Abraham was commanded to circumcise his descendants on the eighth day, why do Arabs – who claim to descend from Abraham through Yishmael – wait until their children are 13 to circumcise them? I am aware that this is a matter of little consequence to our people. Nevertheless, this inconsistency is one that piques my curiosity.